LEWISBURG, Pa. – Competition in the 2014 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships began at Gerhard Fieldhouse on Friday afternoon, featuring the women’s pentathlon and four events in the men’s heptathlon. Freshman Hanna Greenfield represented the women’s track and field team in the pentathlon, compiling a personal-best 2,651 points to finish 13th out of 16 competitors in her first conference meet. Junior Ben Burgess sits in fifth place after the first set of events in the heptathlon, and will head into tomorrow’s competition in prime position to earn valuable points for the Bison.

Greenfield turned in season-best marks in three of the five events that she contested on Friday, beginning the afternoon with her top effort of the year in the 60m hurdles, finishing ninth with a time of 9.82. The rookie followed that up with a height of 4-7.00 in the high jump, another season-best mark that placed her 15th, and had her best outing of the day in the fourth event of the pentathlon, as her leap of 15-06.75 in the long jump placed her sixth. Greenfield’s heave of 29-01.25 in the shot put was the 12th best amongst the multi competitors, and she concluded the competition with a time of 2:51.59 in the 800, running her way to a 13th-place finish with a personal-best point total of 2,651.

Four women’s programs earned points in the pentathlon, led by Lehigh, which finished the day with 20 points. Holy Cross and Boston University each earned eight points, while Navy rounded out the scoring with four. The standings are sure to change significantly on Saturday, as finals will be contested in three field events and two races on the track.

On the men’s side, Burgess strung together four strong performances on the opening day of the heptathlon, finding himself in fifth place heading into the final three events. The junior’s personal-best time of 7.40 in the 60m placed him third, and he followed that up with a mark of 21-03.50 in the long jump, also finishing in the third spot. Burgess’ toss of 35-08.50 in the shot put, a significant improvement over his last effort in the event, was good for seventh, and he cleared 5-09.75 in the high jump to conclude the day, finishing in a five-way tie for fifth in that event.

Burgess has accumulated 2,581 points thus far, putting him almost 100 points ahead of the sixth place competitor and just 38 points shy of fifth place. The final standings in the heptathlon will be decided on Saturday morning when competition in the event concludes with the 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1000.

The second day of competition in the Patriot League Championships, which run through Sunday evening, will also feature finals in the weight throw, long jump, high jump, 5000 and 4x800 relay, as well as prelims and semis in the 60m hurdles, 60m and 200m. Action at Gerhard Fieldhouse is set to begin at 9:30 a.m.